Blood Tests

SLE can cause a variety of changes in the blood that can be different from person to person. Some factors that will be looked for include:

Presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA)—Specific antibodies that attack the contents of your body's cells. These antibodies are believed to be associated with SLE and nearly all people with SLE will test positive.

Other evidence of inflammation

Abnormalities on CBC—Measure of all the blood cells.

Screen for substances normally filtered out through the kidneys, which shows changes to kidney function

Urine Tests

Presence of proteins, blood, or other substances in the urine may indicate changes in kidney function.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Guidelines for referral and management of systemic lupus erythematosus in adults. American College of Rheumatology Ad Hoc Committee on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Guidelines.
Arthritis Rheum. 1999;42(9):1785-1796.

How is lupus diagnosed? Lupus Foundation of America website. Available at: http://www.lupus.org/answers/entry/diagnosing-lupus. Updated July 25, 2013. Accessed May 16, 2016.

Lupus. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at:
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health%5FInfo/Lupus/default.asp. Updated February 2015. Accessed May 16, 2016.